The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-09
BENEDICT ARN0LD'S YOUTH.
TIE oLD HOUSE AT NORWICH IN
WHICH THE TRAITOR WAS BORN

visit to "a Fest Mou-e-uis Prowess 40 .
Hunter-How He Went TO Lexington.
NORWICH, Conn.,, Oct. 8.-THE SUN recently
published the fact that the quaint little build
| Ing In this town In which Benedict Arnold
learned the business Of druggist between 1855
| and 1760 is to be torn down. When 1t In gone
nothing will remain to suggest that II was In
Norwich thatthe great traitor was born except
| IN old we'll, or tho dreary and dry remains OF
one from which Arnold drank In his boyhood.
| and which was on the old Arnold homestead
in which he was born.
| Arnold's name 10 associated moro with Now
Haven, In which city he spent oil the years OF
| his manhood before he entered the Revolution
| airy army The house In which he then lived
and in which he for o time carried on his drug
| business Is still standing, and Is barely more
than stones throw from the New York and
| New Haven depot 1t is in fair state Of
preservation. and is occupied as dwelling.
The house in which he was born and where
| his boyhood was spent was torn down nearly
| forty years ago. Shortly before 1t was taken
! down. Mr.. Q. d. Croker. local artist. made q
pencil sketch Of 1t, which was afterward sup
posed to have been lost or destroyed. But It
was found a short time ago. and Is now in the
| possession Of the writer. and from It the ac-
| companyng sketch is reproduced. Old In
habitants Of Norwich Of years ago asserted
| that though tho old house had gone greatly to
decay. yet It was. with trifling variations, pre-
| csely the same as 1t appeared when Arnold
| was born In It.
| These old inhabitants were not very anxious
| to preserve any memorial Of Arnold, and the
| fact that he was born and bred in Norwich was
| always spoken OF in a shuddering manner. and
as II tho subject was one that 1t was painful to
| speak about. This tacit understanding that
= H. = - fnr In
| doubtless has caused much OF interest concern
ing this extraordinary man to be lost. but there
still existed thirty years ngo some traditions
| about his boyhood life which have never been
put in print.
| There was very old man-Townsend I be-
lieve his name was-with whom chatted one
afternoon In the early days Of our rebellion
about Benedict Arnold. Mr. Townsend had
never seon Arnold for he was an infant when
Arnold attempted treason; but In his boyhood
he knew many old men Of Norwich who re-
membered the boy Arnold very well. He
told me that there was no doubt
that Arnold as boy was brave,
hot headed. dangerous II crossed. energetic.
afraid of him when he was a lad barely in his
teens One OF the Traditions rs about ' him was va
ar haSng a. ne Was
age to the crop, but killed themselves BY their
AnetEer tradition Sas that being made angry
| by something that another man said or did to
h ss Il n'a RE-
was accustomed to pass barefooted, and after
moGkss hin % he went %Pns BY
q Young Arnold. that he was not only vim
One Of the best.estabi ished traditions relates
| to courage that was almost foolhardy. a trait
some ee Indians or hail. breeds Who had BEEN IN
| New London exposed themselves to small pox,
and after their return e HOrwchh th the
towns In the New England colonies at that
tentions that they received.
as at h bs sts stoT how 10
afternoon. q company having assembled in the
store to hear the latest gossip, the talk turned
Ss % @ t %
denounced him in fiery language as q coward.
and some one retorted that he dared not
went to the pest house went in gave the suf-
ferers rum, and then lay down upon the bed be-
stopped eT ID at t the YaGtie RIVER strpped and
sean eoSes h@s @ co1h
Ing he put into the stream and placed Q stone
them WPan 9 then from Gfhng
re atsfish io gossps lie
dssas ahasgs New Hsen
! vague tradition that he had, like Washing
TrRpSon hs Arnold
without peer. There stetcies for some miles
away from his fathers farm forest, in which
and then bears were found. In this forest
were. not longer ago than 1880. traces Of the
made mac, By Arnold. and he established his right
| to supremacy among his mates by capturing
h ID ,h in one day wildcat
send said that. the boys feared him. but re-
stum ie and delighted in doing T appalling
deeds Of daring He climbed the talest trees,
The s 9" ss !hs'
sxt iss hiEh iSss beyond .hs FSmsntS tas
had he not been brbsd to desist. He seems to to
have been n d5sp9es II the pattern Of Sam
Ia,Sa anG deci he thaS there was NO harm IN
Arnold was beloved to have inherited his
radon ena as
his fathers inheritance 1t is believed 1t was
that developed his weak moral nature. Mr.,
Headed. There were different stories about
| ulS eyes. Ono VI tu6 LTdultlOHS ID tudL Lu6y
were dark, blue, and another that they were
black but both t agree In stating that they were
his head. He very early displayed fondness
taken part IN the French and Indian wars was
| listened with the most absorbed interest to
| this mans tales of war.
A famous store, nearly opposite the drug
store, where for years before and for a hundred
years after food and clothing were exchanged
In barter or cash, was loafng place for young
Arnold, and Il is said that few years ago his
initials could be seen in one OF the topmost
rafters, which it had required daring to reach:
Here 1t WINS that Arnold heard the story OF
pntnam's fight at Ticonderaga with the In
dams and his narrow escape from death by
torture. and 1t 49, tradition that the first tim8
Arnold heard this he said in great excitement:
BY - wish I'd been there" He didn't then
SnSW that within few years he would be
One OF Arnold's capers is commemorated
every year In Norwich. and the boys will soon
begin to make preparation for this annual
Sommemoration. In q spirit Of dare-deXiltry,
Thanksgiving night. and with a few OF his
Thought IN irreyerent way to celebrate the day.
"A fhot hutb hay oh fol a